This winter, The Bentway invites young urbanists to explore and learn about their city with lots of fun, creativity, and outdoor discovery along the way! The program empowers participants to understand and influence concepts in urban design, city building, and placemaking through neighbourhood investigations, storytelling, and recreation.
Bentway After School is a new youth program for participants, ages 9-14 (between grades 4–8).
The program will go beyond being “hands-on” — it will also be “minds-on.” During each session, young urbanists will ask questions, gather information, compare and collaborate, draw conclusions, and develop a point of view on city building and placemaking.
Interactive experiences including site tours, outdoor recreation, and hands-on arts and design challenges shaped in collaboration with youth education leaders Maximum City, will encourage participants to not only explore The Bentway, but critically examine the Gardiner Expressway’s history, current state, and potential future through skill building in multidisciplinary fields.
Guided by principles of Indigenous place keeping, ecology, storytelling, adaptation, and youth agency, the program empowers youth to ask critical questions and imagine what cities can become when everyone gets a say in how they’re built.
Working independently and collaboratively, participants will earn badges in a custom “City Passport,” build foundational skills across a variety of disciplines, and ultimately co-create a public experience that captures and communicates their vision for the future city.
collaborators
supporters
This program is generously supported by
